It's Just a Headache
by suzie2b
Summary: Tully gets a concussion.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **It's Just a Headache**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **Moffitt finished bandaging the head wound and slapped the private's cheek gently. "Wake up, Tully."**

 **The private opened his eyes. The voice was familiar, but the face was too blurry to make out … so Tully closed his eyes again.**

" **Nope. Open your eyes, Tully. Look at me."**

 **A couple more slaps, not as gentle this time, got Tully to open his eyes. He blinked and his vision cleared, but only slightly. "Moffitt?"**

" **Yes, it's me."**

" **Not nice to hit a guy when he's down."**

 **Moffitt smiled. "Stay awake and I won't have to do it again."**

 **Tully put a shaky hand on his aching forehead. "What happened?"**

" **That tank got off a shot before the grenade I tossed through the hatch went off. It wasn't a direct hit, but it was enough to flip the jeep."**

" **You okay?"**

 **Moffitt nodded. "Just a few bruises."**

 **Tully slowly sat up with the sergeant's help and leaned back on the overturned jeep. "Where's Troy and Hitch?"**

" **Chasing off what remains of that German patrol we ran into. How's your head?"**

" **Feels like an anvil sounds when a hammer hits it." Tully felt the side of his head where the pain was radiating from and felt the bandage. "What hit me?"**

 **Moffitt handed the private a canteen and two aspirin. "You lost your helmet when we flipped. A fragment from that shell hit you. It gave you a nasty cut. Take those and rest. I'm sure Troy and Hitch will be back shortly."**

 **##################**

 **It wasn't too long before Moffitt watched the jeep with Troy and Hitch in it approach. When they stopped Troy jumped out of the back. "Are you two all right?"**

 **Moffitt said, "I'm fine, but Tully was hit in the head by a piece of the shell that flipped us."**

 **Troy and Hitch followed Moffitt around to where Tully was sleeping in the shade. Troy knelt and gave the private's shoulder a gentle shake. "Hey, wake up, Tully." With a gasp the private came up fighting. Troy grabbed his flailing arms, saying, "Easy, Tully! It's me … Troy."**

 **Tully stopped and blinked at the sergeant. "Sarge?"**

 **Troy let go of him and said, "Yeah. Just take it easy."**

 **Tully squeezed his eyes shut as pain flared through his head and he put his hands against his temples. His voice was barely audible when he said, "Make it stop."**

 **Troy turned to Moffitt. "Have you given him anything?"**

 **Moffitt replied, "Aspirin. He no doubt has a concussion. I don't dare give him anything stronger."**

" **We have to move him so we can get the jeep back on its wheels." As he and Moffitt got Tully to his feet, Troy said, "Hitch, bring the jeep around. We'll use the rope to pull this one over."**

 **The sergeants took the shaky, unsteady private a few yards away and helped him to sit again. Moffitt said quietly, "Just rest while we get things ready to go."**

 **Tully put his head back in his hands. "I'm okay. It's just a headache."**

 **Troy looked at him worriedly. "Yeah, sure it is."**

 **The jeep was quickly righted and the strewn supplies replaced where they belonged. Hitch looked at Tully where he was now curled up asleep and asked, "How bad is he?"**

 **Moffitt replied, "He took quite a hit in the head. He needs a doctor."**

 **Troy asked, "We'll get him to a field hospital."**

" **The nearest one is nearly three days from here."**

" **We'd better get going then."**

 **##################**

 **They drove until it was too dark to safely continue. Tully was asleep in the back of the jeep and they decided to leave him there when they stopped for the night.**

 **After they'd heated some rations for supper, Troy sent Hitch out on watch and Moffitt went to check on Tully. Remembering what had happened when Troy had awakened the young private earlier, Moffitt simply and quietly called Tully's name until he began to stir. "Tully, I need you to wake up and look at me."**

 **With eyes firmly closed he said, "Leave me alone."**

 **Moffitt clicked on a flashlight, but was careful to keep the beam off of Tully's face. "After you do as I ask."**

 **Tully sighed and slowly opened his eyes to squint up at the sergeant. He said irritably, "Happy now."**

 **Moffitt smiled slightly and used the flashlight to check Tully's pupils. "How's your head?"**

" **Hurts."**

" **Better or worse?"**

 **Tully closed his eyes. "The constant pain is about the same … but then it flares like a red-hot poker's being shoved into my brain. Can I go back to sleep now?"**

 **Moffitt got a med kit to change the bandage. "How about your vision?"**

" **As long as I'm asleep, it's just fine."**

" **What about now, when you're awake?"**

 **Tully opened his eyes and frowned up at the sergeant. "Blurry. And before you ask it's the same as before."**

 **Troy joined them with a steaming mug of broth he'd made with hot water and bouillon. "How's it going, Tully?"**

" **It's goin', sarge. I just wish you guys would leave me alone though."**

 **Moffitt shook two aspirin out of the bottle with a smile. "He's understandably cranky."**

 **Tully growled, "Am not. Just have a headache and wanna sleep."**

 **Troy put the mug in Tully's hand as Moffitt put the aspirin in the other and said, "Take though and drink the broth. Then you can go back to sleep."**

" **Gee thanks. That's real nice of you." Tully put the pills in his mouth and took a sip of the vegetable broth. There was no way he was going to admit it tasted good.**

 **##################**

 **Just as the sun was coming up Tully awoke. He groaned as he sat up and decided he couldn't wait any longer. With some effort he managed to get out of the jeep, then leaned heavily against it as pain flared through his head.**

 **Hitch, who had been on watch, was suddenly at his side and asked quietly, "You okay, Tully."**

 **He took a deep breath and straightened up. "Yeah … just need to 'go'."**

 **Hitch watched the unsteady private take a step away from the jeep. Then caught him as his shaky legs gave out and he nearly fell. "Here, I'll give you a hand." They moved slowly to a nearby tree where Tully could lean while he took care of business. Hitch took a few steps back and turned around to give his friend a bit of privacy. When Tully had finished, he put his arm around him again and asked, "Back to the jeep?"**

 **Tully said quietly, "I'd like to sit by the fire."**

" **Sure."**

 **Once Tully was situated with a blanket around his shoulders, he asked, "Is there any coffee?"**

 **Hitch said, "I was just going to start some, but Moffitt said you're only to have water or broth. No caffeine."**

 **Tully sighed, put his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands as he said grumpily, "Why are the British so bossy?"**

 **A familiar voice said, "Because we're caring and compassionate by nature."**

 **Without moving Tully asked, "He's standing next to me, isn't he?"**

 **Hitch grinned as he poured hot water into a mug he'd put a spoonful of bullion in. "Yep." He looked up at the sergeant. "He's still pretty shaky."**

 **Moffitt nodded. "Would you mind getting him a couple of aspirin?"**

" **No problem." Hitch put the mug in Tully's hand. "I'll be right back."**

 **Troy joined them. "Feeling any better, Tully?"**

" **A little I guess. Still dizzy, but not as blurry."**

 **Moffitt asked, "Headache?"**

 **Tully sipped the broth. "It's there, but not as bad so long as I don't move around too much. All I really wanna do is sleep."**

 **When they were ready to head out, Troy found Moffitt studying a map of the area. "Thinking of changing course?"**

 **Moffitt didn't look up as he put a finger on the map. "We're here." He moved his finger to a different location. "The field hospital is here." With his finger Moffitt traced a line. "If we take this route around these hills, we could shave at least a half day off the trip."**

 **Troy thought for a few seconds, then said, "It's pretty rocky through there. It'll be a rough ride … not to mention a company of Germans have been sighted in that area over the last week."**

 **They watched Hitch help Tully get settled in the back of the jeep. The private was pale and obviously in more pain than he admitted to. Moffitt said, "The sooner we get Tully to a doctor, the better we're all going to feel."**

 **Troy sighed with a nod. "Yeah, let's go."**

 **##################**

 **As the route got rougher, Tully got more uncomfortable. Pain spiked with every bump until he thought he would pass out. He finally reached over the seat the put his hand on Moffitt's shoulder.**

 **The sergeant stopped the jeep and turned in his seat. "Need a break?"**

 **Tully leaned back against the jerry cans with a grimace. "Yeah. Just need a minute. I don't remember this road being so rough."**

" **That's because you didn't have a concussion the last time we passed through here."**

 **Troy and Hitch joined them as Moffitt got out of the jeep. Troy asked, "Everything all right?"**

 **Moffitt nodded. "Tully just needs a break."**

 **Troy looked at his watch. "We're making good time. We should make it to that field hospital tonight."**

 **Hitch said, "If I remember right, the road smooths out after another eight kilometers or so."**

 **The road did finally smooth out and Tully was able to relax a bit and doze. The jeeps were traveling side by side. Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch were keeping a wary eye out for German patrols. There were a lot of places they could be ambushed from.**

 **They only had a few more kilometers to go and they'd be out of the area where the Germans had been seen. A shell from a tank whistled overhead and exploded when it hit the sand behind the jeeps as a German patrol broke from cover.**

 **Troy quickly stood in the seat and swung the 50 around as Hitch and Moffitt sped up. Tully was a little slower to move, but he too stepped into the passenger seat before he swung the 50 around and opened fire.**

 **However, Tully was still dizzy and unsteady. Not to mention the fact that the rattling 50 caliber had his throbbing head feeling as if it were about to split open. He couldn't hear Moffitt yelling at him to forget the gun and get down.**

 **Eventually, the jeeps outdistanced the heavier German vehicles. Tully collapsed into the seat beside Moffitt and the sergeant let the jeep roll to a stop. Tully leaned forward onto the dash and rested his head on his arms with a groan. Moffitt put a hand on the private's back and said quietly, "Tully…" He groaned softly and Moffitt said, "Lean back so I can look at you."**

 **Hitch stopped the jeep next to the other and Troy quickly went to Tully's side while Hitch got in back to keep watch. He and Moffitt got Tully to sit back in the seat. His face was pale and sweaty, and his eyes were squeezed shut against the pain.**

 **Troy frowned. "What were you thinking? You should've stayed down. You could've fallen out of the jeep."**

 **Tully could barely hear the sergeant through the painful ringing in his head and his voice was barely audible when he said, "It's just a headache."**

 **Troy sighed and Moffitt said, "Let's get him into the back and get to that hospital."**

 **##################**

 **At the field hospital Tully's head wound was cleaned and dressed. He was diagnosed with the moderate concussion Moffitt had already known he had. Troy got them a tent and the doctor allowed them to take Tully there to get the rest he needed to heal.**

 **Over the next few days Tully did little more than sleep. Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch took turns staying with him and keeping things as quiet as possible. Tully grumbled whenever he was awakened to eat—Moffitt wouldn't let him have aspirin unless he ate. The sergeant didn't like using that tactic, but it was the only way to get Tully to eat so the aspirin wouldn't upset his stomach.**

 **The afternoon of day four found Tully wanting a shower. Hitch went along to make sure his friend didn't have any problems, since he did tend to still have occasional dizzy spells. Tully also began joining Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch in the mess tent for meals.**

 **Moffitt smiled as he set two aspirin on Tully's empty tray. "You're looking better. At least your appetite is returning and you're not sleeping quite as much."**

 **Tully looked at the tablets. "Headaches aren't as bad or as frequent."**

 **Troy picked up the aspirin and put them in Tully's hand. "Take 'em. I can tell by your face that your head's hurting."**

 **Tully sighed and popped the pills into his mouth. He swallowed them with water, then asked, "When are we heading back to base?"**

" **As soon as the doctor releases you. Probably two or three more days."**

" **That long? It's not like I'm really hurt or sick. It's just a headache."**

 **His three friends rolled their eyes and Hitch asked, "How much do you remember after the jeep flipped?"**

 **Tully hesitated, then admitted, "Not a lot."**

 **Troy said, "You were pretty out of it for a while. You couldn't even stand without help."**

 **Moffitt added, "Bouncing around in the jeep and that incident with that German column didn't help matters."**

 **Tully furrowed his brows trying to remember. "German column?"**

" **You seemed to think you needed to man the 50 when they tried to ambush us. I kept yelling at you to get down, but you refused to listen."**

" **I don't remember…"**

 **Moffitt smiled at the look of confusion and said jokingly, "I should write you up for refusing to follow orders."**

 **Troy chuckled. "Don't worry. The doctor says you'll probably start remembering what happened as you brain heals. You just need to rest and give it time."**

 **Hitch said, "At least you're not as irritable as you were."**

 **Tully frowned. "I haven't been irritable."**

 **Hitch laughed. "Oh sorry … I guess it was more like you were crabby."**

" **Crabby?" Tully looked at Moffitt and Troy. "I haven't been crabby, have I?"**

 **Moffitt smiled. "Well, you have been a little short-tempered lately."**

 **Troy grinned. "Down right snippy at times."**

 **Tully's expression turned into something akin to a pout. "Sorry. Didn't mean to be. It was the headache."**


End file.
